MILLIONS of households are set to see their energy bills jump this month as support from the government comes to an end.
All homes have been cushioned from rising costs to a certain extent since October by energy rebate payments worth £66-67 a month.
These payments are now finishing, which could leave families paying more for bills.
In some good news, the government has extended the Energy Price Guarantee which promises to keep average annual bills at £2,500 a year.
But against a backdrop of the soaring cost of living, the pressure on household budgets and bills remains.
However, there are many ways to cut usage around the house to help reduce energy costs.
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Run through our list and make sure you are not missing a trick that will help keep your energy bill in check.
1. Switch to solar lights outside
As sunnier days approach, switching off outdoor lighting and using solar lamps or lights will help cut energy bills.
2. Close curtains at night
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Close your curtains in the evening as temperatures drop to help insulate your home and stop heat escaping.
This means you are less likely to need to turn the heating on.
Make sure you open blinds in the morning, especially on sunny days, as the glass will act like a greenhouse to help warm your property.
3. Use residual oven heat to cook
Ovens remain hot immediately after you have turned them off. This means you can actually turn them off up to 10 minutes before your food is due out to let the residual heat finish the job for you.
However, don’t take risks with food and make sure it is piping hot and properly cooked all the way through before eating.
4. Don’t open the oven when in use
Once you have turned the oven on and put your food in, try not to open the door. This reduces the temperature and prompts the appliance to use extra energy to bring the temperature back up, and also adds time on to cooking your meal costing you more.
5. Spring clean
Limescale build-up could cost as much as £468 a year through added energy consumption.
However, you can help dissolve the build up with a mild acid clean. Experts have shared with the Sun how to eradicate build up from kettles, washing machines and other appliances.
6. Block draughts
Stopping heat escaping through draughts can save £30 a year on your energy bill, according to Energy Saving Trust.
Draught excluders for under £5 are readily available on Amazon – especially the ones you attach to doors. Or you can also get them to match your décor or style, we found a cute sausage dog excluder for £4 from Hobbycraft.
7. Let food cool down
Putting hot food in the fridge can disrupt the temperature forcing the appliance to burn extra energy to cool the space back down.
It’s a similar story if you stand at the fridge with the door open wondering what to eat for longer periods of time.
8. Insulate your loft
Loft insulation is an investment well worth making to prevent losing heat through your roof.
It is one of the more pricey changes to make but could save you around £300 a year, according to consumer campaign group Which?.
Ideally you need rolls of insulation that is 270mm thick, according to the EnergyHelpline.
You are looking at paying around £30 for 200mm rolls of five metres – and don’t forget to insulate your loft hatch too.
9. Boil the kettle with water you need
The cost of running the kettle over a year mounts up making it one of the most expensive appliances.
Filling the kettle with more water than you need wastes energy and money. Try using cups of water to fill the kettle so that you only boil what you need.
10. Turn off devices
It’s estimated a sizeable chunk of electricity used in homes is from appliances that are sitting in standby mode.
This equates to as much as £80 on a bill of £500.
Most people know about the TV but switching off your microwave when it’s not in use can make a big difference to bills.
We have rounded up some of the worst offenders to leave on standby.
11. Switch off lights
Leave the lights on when you leave a room – even if it's only for a few minutes – can cost £2.30 a day, or £828 a year, according to Utility Design.
12. Change your washing machine settings
Carefully consider how you wash clothes. Rather than half-filling the washing machine wait until you have a full load.
Are you defaulting to a longer -and more expensive – cycle when a shorter one would do the job?
Likewise, switching down to a 30 degree wash, from 40 or 60 degrees, makes a big difference over the course of a year.
13. Air-dryer over a tumble dryer
Tumble dryers are convenient but come with a cost.
With the weather getting warmer switch to hanging clothes outside. Even on cloudy days clothes can dry outside – as long as it’s not raining.
14. Make sure your dishwasher is full
A half-full dishwasher wastes water and energy – and will cost you double as much to run if you’re doing twice as many cycles.
Wait until it’s full before switching on to keep costs down.
15. Opt for efficiency
If you are due an upgrade on one of your appliances, check out the costs of running.
For example, a modern, efficient dishwasher will typically cost around £7 less a year to run compared to an older model.
16. Monitor consumption levels with a smart meter
Knowledge is power and a smart meter can be a handy way of understanding how much energy you are using and when.
Most energy suppliers will help you install one for free.
17. Put a lid on it
Using a lid on pans can speed up the cooking process to reduce energy consumption.
Consider using one next time you’re in the kitchen.
18. Sweep up
Swap the hoover for a broom to save pennies when you're cleaning.
Opting for a non-electrical appliance to do a job will save you money. For example, using a dustpan and brush instead of a hoover could save you £22.46 over the course of a year.
Or letting your hair dry naturally instead of using a hairdryer could save £9.44 a year.
19. Clean your filter
Vacuum cleaners, tumble dryers, extractor fans and fridges are among the appliances that use filters.
Giving these filters a regular clean will help maintain their efficiency so you are not wasting cash.
20. Keep your fridge full
An empty fridge is a problem come dinner time but also drains the efficiency.
It’s advised to keep fridges around 75% full.
21. Take a shower
Baths typically use roughly 45 litres more water than a five-minute shower, according to South Staffs Water.
However, this figure changes if you're using a power shower, which only consumes five litres less than a bath for a five minute shower.
22. Wear clothes again
Clothes can often be worn more than once before they are put in the wash – with the notable exception of pants.
However, trousers or jumpers can often be worn again until they are dirty. This will help you do less washing to save on costs.
23. Don’t leave white noise on all night
If you or your children use white noise to help fall asleep, try to avoid having it on all night.
If you have a smart speaker, such as Alexa, you can ask it to play sounds for an hour so you've got enough time to fall asleep.
24. Use energy-efficient light bulbs
Switching from a traditional halogen bulb to an LED bulb, saves approximately £2-£3 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
25. Reflective foil behind radiators
Putting foil behind radiators helps prevent heat loss – and is particularly effective on radiators on external walls.
You can use specialist foil or kitchen foil will also do the job.
26. Bleed your radiators
This sounds technical but is simple and can take as little as 30 seconds to do.
It means you are letting trapped air out the system which can stop your heating running efficiently.
We have an easy to follow guide on how to carry out the process.
27. Replace your boiler if it’s old
It could be worth upgrading your boiler to a more efficient model if it’s older.
And in some cases, if you rent your home, your landlord may be responsible for fixing or replacing your boiler.
28. Keep doors shut
Closing doors in your home helps keep rooms warmer and stops draughts. It’s especially worth closing doors to colder rooms like conservatories.
29. Purchase rugs for hard floors
Rugs act as an extra layer of insulation to the floor and look cosy too.
30. Use the microwave instead of the oven
Switching to a microwave from an over for some food preparation will save you time and money.
31. Batch cook and freeze food
Cooking a big batch of food in one go and then freezing it for when you need it will save you time and money.
32. Defrost food properly
Reduce cooking times by defrosting frozen food in the fridge the night before.
This will also cool the refrigerator temperature.
33. Use the correct hob
Match a pan or saucer to the correct size of the hob to prevent heat loss and help trim your energy bill.
As the weather turns warmer, here are some other checks you can make to help trim your energy bill.
And if you find you are still struggling with bills, the Household Support Fund could be an option.
This cash is handed out by local councils across England – each has its own criteria – but it is usually reserved for those on a low income or benefits.
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Contact your local council to find out if you could qualify.
You can also contact your energy provider. Some firms offer customers grants to those who are struggling with bills – find out what you can get in our guide.
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